Tube cleaner



July z'o, 192e. 1,593,044

C. H. STUBBS TUBE CLEANER' Filed Augustv 18. 1924 C@ mw, m@

' art.

Patented July 20,1926. Y w UNITED; STAT CHUSETTS.

yratti!"amyQliF`ffE? l HARLES n. sTUnBS; `or BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, Ass'reivoaro `:erlittenEY coivirANYoE AMEiticAoE BOSTON,.iYrASSAonUsETTs aconroaATioN oEfiirAssA- TUBE CLEANER.

Application filed August 18, 1924.Y Serial No. r'7552,Ei9l5.-

-My invention relates'to the art of cleaning tubes and the like, and more specifically1 to an improved tool for removing surface formation, deposits and incrustaticns or scale from the inside of boilertub'es, and for analogous work. v l

The object of my invention is to provide a tool which will clean the inside of a tube to nakedV metal surface, vespecially cleaning kout all pits Vorindentations in the inner surface of the tube. y

In the accompanying drawing, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a tool, according to the invention, in use;

Fig. 2 is aside elevation of thetool ready to insert into a tube, Fig. 3 is an enlarged central section through the butt of the tool; and

Fig. 4 is va central section showing a' modification. Y Y. f

The embodiment of the inventioiiselected for illustration has been shown vas driven lby a turbine motor 10 ofthe usual or any preferred construction well known-to the `These motors have4V afterininal drive element shouldered at 12,"with a(l threaded plug to portion projecting beyond the same. Tl e. ytool comprises a nipple 14, which is of standard or stock design and dimensions, with the wide mouthed sleeve 16 threaded into one end, and a large number of metal lic wires 18 formed into a compact bundle filling sleeve 16 and the body of nipple 14. Temporarily employing a suitable dummy close the left endl of the nipple, the space wit-hin the nipple and around the wires is filled solid with a 'matrix 2O of solder or similar material, as shown in Fig. 3. In this the wires 18 are thus firmly embedded and held, and sleeve 16 and nipple 14 are united with the butts of the wires rigidl and permanently. The wires may exten through at the butt beyond the inatrix, as shown. y

Removal of the. dummy plug leaves the threads at 24 available for the recept-ion of a drive plug 26 threaded at 28 to receive the terminal drive element of the motor 10. As this plug is readily removable from nipple14, it is easyy to accommodate any design of motor 10 by providing a .few extra plugs 26, each having threads a particular brand of motor.

The outer ends of the wires are turned on tlie inside of the tube. when the brush isrevolved bythe motor f 28 machined to nt the `terminal ofV at right angles radially' outward. at 8O ,to form short lingers adapted to scrape over the inside of a tube. These outwardly turned pointsv or hooks aregpreferablj not 'y formed all in exactly the saine plane, but by having some of the wires slightlylcnger than others, Vthese points may be made to forni a brush having a substantial axial di mension as. cleailyindicated'at 32l in n Thewires may be set to tend togilare youtwardly so that the fingers are, in effect,y

spring pressed outwardlyto exert pressure In any event,

10, or' by a motor at a distance connected therewith by flexible shafting, centrifugal y force throws the scraping lingers outwardl The revolving action mafv bel accom-V C 1 n 5 pained by a back ano. forth vaction effected byY hand.y Y f, A simple metal ring 34 liesloose. around the wires 18 just in front of sleeve 16 when ythe device is in use, and Vmay be slid ldown against the outturned ends as shown in Fig. 2,7to bring the. ends togetheraiid facilitate Fig. 4 shows a closed end nipple, in which the wires 18 are lodged, the Vclosed end being provided with a pivot joint 31 to connect it with the drive plug 32, which, of course, is analogous to drivev plug 26. vThe inclusion of such a joint facilitates entry of the brush into the less accessible tubes.Y

Y According to the invention, the tube, with an accumulation as indicated at 42, is prefinserting them into a tube toy be cleaned.

erably Vfirst cleaned with the heaviermilled head cleaners well known inthe art. These cleaners operate by a milling or reamiiig action, rather than by a scrapingfaction, and

while theyremove the accumulation within the geometrical limits of'a true cylinder, they do not accommodate themselves to the actual inner surface of the tube, nor do they reach into pits or other irregularities in the metal. Thus, tube 36 is Shown back of brush 18 with the irregular pock marked surface 38 entirely clean, whereas the surface left by a milling or reaming tube cleaner I claim z- 1.In a tube cleaner, in combination, a nipple of Standard design withboth ends threaded, a ydrive `plug in one end of said nipple, ascraping brush comprising a plurality of Wires extending axially out ofsaid nipple, the ends of said Wires being turned radially outward to forni scraping lingers, said Wire ends being staggered axially to deline a belt or Zone of scraping points, the butts of said Wires lying in said nipple, a matrix uniting said Wire butts and nipple, a sleeve plug in the brush end oi said nipple, said sleeve plug closely fitting the Wires and being soldered to them and to the nipple.

211i a tube cleaner, in combination, a nipple of standard des'p n with both ends threaded,V a removable drive plug in one end of said nipple, a scraping brush comprising a plurality of Wires entendi' axially ont oi said nipple.7 the ends of iid Wires being turned radially outward to forni scraping lingers, said Wire ends being staggered axially to denne a belt or :ione of scraping point-s7 the butts et said Wi lying in said nipple7 a solder matrix uniting said Wire butts and nipple, said matriz-c leaving a clearance Vfor said drive plug, a sleeve plug in the brush end of said nipple, said sleeve plug closely iitting the Wires and being soldered to them and to the nipple. Y

3. In 'a tube cleaner, in combination, a nipple of standard desi with both ends threaded7 a removable iii've plug in one end of said nipple7 a sera )ing briisli coinprising a plurality ot Wires extending axially out of said nipple, the ends or said `wires being turned radially outward to ioi'in scraping fingers, said Wire ends being staggered axially to define a belt or zene oit scraping points, the butts oi: said Wires lying in said nipple, a solder matrix uniting said Wire butts and nipple, said matrix leav` inea clearance for said drive plug7 a seeife plug in the brush end oi said nipple, said sleeve plug closely fitting the Wires and being soldered to them and to the nipple, and a squeezer ring encircling said Twires to slide down and dran the ends together When insertiug the tool in the tube.

el.. ln a tube cleaner, a housingl member, a drive element associated with one end of the said member, a scraping brush comprising a plurality of Wires extending out ot the ther end of the housing member, the outer ends el the said Wires being turned radially outward to iorm scraping elements, the other ends oi the said Wires lying in the said housing member, a member associ Led with the biusli end oj the housing member and closely surrounding the Wiresj said meniber serving to position said Wires7 and means for securing the Wires to the housing member.

In combination, a nipple, a drive plug associated With one end of the nipple, a

second plug associated with the other end of the nil ple, a scraping brush comprising a plurality of Wires extending from the nipple through and out the said second plug, the outer ends oit the said Wires being turned radially outward to lorin scraping elements, sai( scraping elements being staggered to dei'ine a scraping surface, and means associated With the nipple ior retaining 'the inner ends or butts of the said Wires in the nipple.

In Witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my name this 11th day of August, 1924-.

CHARLES H. STBBS. 

